Pad See Ew

About This Recipe

Pad See Ew (ผัดซีอิ๊ว, 'fried soy sauce') is Thailand's great wok noodle dish and the everyday counterpart to the more widely known Pad Thai. Where Pad Thai is tangy and complex, Pad See Ew is deeply savoury and satisfying: wide fresh rice noodles (sen yai) are wok-fried at scorching heat with sweet dark soy sauce, egg and a protein — most often chicken, pork or beef — until the noodles develop charred, caramelised patches from the wok's intense heat. The dish is finished with a scattering of crispy Chinese broccoli (gai lan) and seasoned simply with fish sauce, oyster sauce and a pinch of white pepper. The secret is the wok hei — the smoky, slightly burnt quality that only a screaming-hot wok can produce. Pad See Ew is found in every Thai restaurant and street stall and is especially beloved as a late-night comfort food.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 300 gwide fresh rice noodles (sen yai)(or dried wide rice noodles, soaked)
• 250 gchicken thigh(thinly sliced)
• 150 gChinese broccoli (gai lan)(stems and leaves separated, cut into 5cm pieces)
• 2eggs
• 3 tablespoonssweet dark soy sauce (see ew dam)
• 1 tablespoonoyster sauce
• 1 tablespoonfish sauce
• 1 teaspoonlight soy sauce
• 1 teaspoonsugar
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3 tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 0.5 teaspoonwhite pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the sauce and noodles

   Mix together the sweet dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. If using dried noodles, soak in hot water until pliable but still slightly firm. Separate fresh noodles gently to prevent clumping.

   Sweet dark soy sauce (see ew dam) is the defining ingredient — it provides the distinctive caramelised, molasses-like flavour. Do not substitute with regular soy sauce.

2. 2

   Sear the chicken

   Heat a wok over the highest heat possible until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear without stirring for 1.5 minutes until browned on one side. Toss and cook for another minute. Remove to a plate.

3. 3

   Fry the garlic and broccoli stems

   Add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the Chinese broccoli stems and stir-fry for 1 minute until bright green and slightly charred.

4. 4

   Fry the noodles

   Add the noodles to the wok and spread them out. Pour the sauce mixture over and toss vigorously, pressing the noodles against the hot wok surface. Let them sit for 30 seconds to develop charred patches, then toss again. Repeat this press-and-toss twice more.

5. 5

   Add eggs and broccoli leaves

   Push the noodles to one side. Crack the eggs into the empty space and scramble briefly before mixing through the noodles. Add the broccoli leaves and cooked chicken, toss everything together and cook for 1 minute more.

6. 6

   Season and serve

   Season with white pepper. Serve immediately with a small dish of fish sauce and sliced chilli on the side for diners to adjust seasoning.

Variations

• •

  Pad See Ew Moo uses pork instead of chicken — thinly sliced pork neck is the most common choice.

• •

  A vegetarian version uses extra-firm tofu and replaces fish sauce with soy sauce.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be re-fried in a very hot wok for 2 minutes. Rice noodles harden when refrigerated — always reheat aggressively.

Frequently Asked Questions